


Ineffable Dreamers

by Ineffable_Devices



Category: Original Work
Genre: Fae & Fairies, Fantasy, Multi, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, Winter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 22:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19450372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ineffable_Devices/pseuds/Ineffable_Devices
Summary: In a world filled with fantasy creatures and vengeful gods, nothing is the same as it once was. In each chapter, you will be introduced to new creatures and their challenges as winter continues to creep nearer.





	Ineffable Dreamers

As the seasons change you will change with it. But fear the frost. The ice is not on your side.

* * *

There was a sea of stars glittering in the wrinkled blanket of night overhead and a forest of grass soldiers towering above Ursa’s head, but neither of these things kept a freezing wind from whipping her hair off of her shoulder and nearly sending her skidding forward into a flower. 

  
She recovered from the wind quickly enough to avoid the next violent breath sending her tumbling forward once more. Ursa ducked behind a thick swath of grass and tightened her cloak around her, a chill seeping through the inky feathers and decorating her skin with gooseflesh. Either she’d lost track of time again and allowed herself to be found by the spirits, or the fire season had arrived without her realizing. Ursa didn’t see any smoky figures though, so she figured it was probably the latter. Still, the sudden coldness was enough to make her nightly mushroom gathering escapade less enjoyable. 

  
She wished she had brought her hat with her, Ursa thought to herself as she restarted the journey. She found a patch of milk mushrooms birthing from the hood of a toadstool and nimbly climbed up the white stalk to collect as many as she could. Idris’ favorite was milk mushroom cream soda, which it just so happened Ursa excelled at making. You could call it a family recipe. 

  
Even then, the faint chill had yet to leave her be, and it was beginning to make this night awfully uncomfortable. Ursa hated to call it quits when the night was still so young, but as she dropped off the toadstool, she noticed her fingers were shaking. The milk mushrooms also seemed to be greening a bit, which was a good enough reason to stop. If they froze, then she’d have bad produce to bake with, which was not at all what she wanted. Ursa shifted her cloak to one side, the feathers brushing softly against her arm and the now exposed flesh of her back instantly falling prey to the wind. It was icy. How could it be getting this cold so early? She fluttered her wings anxiously, allowing herself to breathe only when they parted and spread with no pain. The flight back home was short and simple; it was one she knew well and could fly with her eyes shut. 

  
The fae village was nestled in a small clearing surrounded by trees, with a babbling brook cutting through the town square, and a patch of wildflowers framing and entrapping their home. Ursa lived in a quaint cottage nestled between the thick roots of a tree and a fallen birds nest as a roof. She shared the cozy space with Idris, her sister, as well as Barley, their mouse. As she passed overhead, the warm twinkling lanterns of her town eased the feeling of discomfort she’d had since the chill. Ursa didn’t typically let these things itch away at her, so she wasn’t sure why this, in particular, was bothering her. 

  
Perhaps it was because the chill was so early. She’d been keeping track of the moon this year, and if she had done it right when they still had a cycle to go through before the chill was supposed to arrive. Ursa wasn’t sure what it would mean for their food supply if it was early. 

  
Nevermind that, she had supplied to sort and preserves to jar. She parted the thick curtain and entered her cottage, eyes instantly softening at the sight of her little sister burrowed up under heavy quilts and furs. The softness didn’t last long, as it quickly struck Ursa that Idris must have noticed the chill as well to have gone and retrieved their cold season covers. 

  
Perhaps she’d bring it up to Nimue at the fae circle tomorrow. Feeling more or less satisfied, Ursa pushed the thought from her head and set about her nightly tasks. 

  
Ursa set her basket on the yellowed cream shell counter, lifting out the checkered blanket, her goods all tucked safely inside. She spread that out on the counter, sighing softly. Ursa ducked over to the cabinets that held all of her baskets and parcels and jars. A thin papery potato skin would probably keep the mushrooms moist enough to continue growing and stay fresh. She wrapped them up inside and muttered a simple incantation to lift some water from the jug and drizzle it onto the skin. She tucked that by one of the openings that, during the daytime, would let in brilliant, thick streams of honeyed sunlight. Next, she draped her cloak on the coat hanger by the doorway and picked up the broom that was sat beside it. She swept up the dust that had blown in from outside, as well as any dirt that Idris may have tracked in from the garden. 

  
Going back over to her small kitchen, Ursa took a small jar from the pantry and cracked open the lid. The potent scent of apricots filled the air, and Ursa breathed in deeply as she took a knife and spread the jam across some baked crusts of bread. She put the jam away and went to the sunroom to collapse in a cozy chair. She wrestled the light quilt by the chair across her lap and set her dinner atop it. The chair faced outside a little window, and Ursa peacefully watched the night time activity of the other moon fae and forest critters. As she munched her bread, a breeze slipped through the window. There it was again- that chill! Ursa sat up straighter, pointy elven ears alert. All she picked up was the typical night activity, no suspicious sounds at all. Perhaps this chill really was just the warning of the cold season. 

  
Something about that just didn’t sit right with Ursa, though. 

  
She finished her dinner deep in thought and tried to push the worry from her thoughts. Tomorrow she’d have a lovely day with Idris. First, she’d wake around midday to a tasty meal prepared by her sister, then they could go collect flowers and herbs from Idris’ garden, and maybe even some wild ones if they got lucky. They could visit the market to see their friends, and then, of course, the fae circle at sunset. 

  
Ursa pulled the covers back from beside her sister and crawled into bed. She tugged the quilt up tight to her chin, curling her body into the shape of a peach pit. 

  
It was getting really cold. She didn’t want to think about what happened last time it got cold. Ursa just wished the warm season would last forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Find us on Tumblr: https://ineffable-devices-story.tumblr.com/


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